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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658674">You Are More Than My Favourite.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ardent_Autumn/pseuds/Ardent_Autumn'>Ardent_Autumn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>16th Century CE RPF, Historical RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Also my first RPF, Alternate Universe - Canon, Cecil isn't fond of Dudley, Eyes ôô, F/M, I don't know why I came up with the second relationship, I miss GCSE History, I thought I'd give it a try, M/M, May be partly inaccurate, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:53:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,164</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ardent_Autumn/pseuds/Ardent_Autumn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>One day in the year 1560, Elizabeth decides to hold an 'emergency' Privy Council meeting at the Royal Palace of Westminster - except that she only wants her four favourites to attend.</p><p>When one of them [a certain Robert Dudley] doesn't turn up straight away, she's concerned. As it turns out, he's grieving over something, and Elizabeth, his beloved childhood friend, is there to comfort him. She does a good job; his sorrow is soon forgotten for a *very* specific reason.</p><p>Any feedback would be appreciated! I always worry that anything I post isn't good or interesting enough. If you find that to be the case, feel free to tell me so - along with any constructive criticism, if you have any!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester/Elizabeth I of England, William Cecil/Francis Walsingham</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Are More Than My Favourite.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So there are a few historical changes that I made for convenience. In this chapter:<br/>*Francis Walsingham becomes a Privy Council member in 1560 rather than in 1573.</p><p>Of course, I may be inaccurate in places, so apologies if I am. [Though I did get a lot of my information from my old GCSE textbook plus a few online sources - the latter sources may not be as accurate.]</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Where <em>is</em> he?’</p><p><br/>
Currently, Queen Elizabeth I was pacing the length of the Star Chamber Court within the walls of the royal Palace of Westminster. It was quite a picturesque location really - beautiful gardens with verdant green grass and full blooming flowers [in the spring and summer, at least] and there was even a tranquil moat that flowed around the Palace. The water, which was coloured the purest blue, circulated the palace calmly and pleasantly. Although it was not her preferred place to meet with her Councillors and Court [for she liked Windsor Castle more] it was certainly substantial enough to hold a meeting.</p><p><br/>
The meeting of the day was not one of the normal gatherings. Elizabeth very rarely attended the Privy Council meetings, since she was able to trust her Council - but today’s meeting was for an important reason, and she wanted only her top four favourites to attend. </p><p><br/>
Indeed, three of the four had turned up, ready and waiting. As the Queen paced the room restlessly, two of them - Secretary of State, Sir William Cecil and Spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham - were sat at a nearby table, waiting patiently. Every now and then, they shot each other vaguely bemused looks, as if they were wondering whether or not it would be wise to suggest that the meeting be rescheduled.</p><p><br/>
The Queen’s final favourite, Robert Dudley [Master of the Horse] had not yet turned up, and his absence was the reason for her discontented pacing. Sir Christopher Hatton, the Captain of the Queen’s Bodyguard, had since gone out to look for Dudley, promising that he would ‘return anon, hopefully with some news’ but he had not appeared since, and Elizabeth was beginning to get increasingly agitated.</p><p><br/>
She was <em>worried</em>, and she just could not help it. Dudley was one of her closest friends, perhaps even her all-time closest, and whenever he was not where she expected him to be, she always went into a panic. He had a fair few enemies; she feared for his safety.</p><p><br/>
<em>Oh, where is my Eyes? If something has happened to him, I will not be able to cope. And if any of his enemies are involved, I swear I will banish them from England - I will even execute them if it comes down to it!</em>
</p><p><br/>
Okay, so perhaps Elizabeth was over-worrying, but she <em>just could not help it</em>.</p><p><br/>
‘Your highness, perhaps we should reschedule the meeting?’ Cecil suggested, watching Elizabeth pace the floor for what was probably the hundredth time.</p><p><br/>
‘Never mind the meeting!’ Elizabeth exclaimed in response. ‘It is Dudley that I am more concerned about!’</p><p><br/>
Whilst the Queen’s back was turned, Cecil discreetly rolled his eyes. It was certainly no secret that he and Dudley had a rather up-and-down relationship with one another. Their working relationship was reasonably good, but they also had a personal dislike of one another - and it was not always low-key, either.</p><p><br/>
‘Perhaps he is preoccupied with some other errand?’ Walsingham suggested, and bravely so, since when Elizabeth was anxious about something, she tended to get a little snappy, even if she did not mean to.</p><p><br/>
‘He would have informed me if he was busy,’ Elizabeth responded sharply, wringing her hands. ‘Oh, how I fear for him--’</p><p><br/>
She was then cut off by the sound of someone else abruptly entering the room. Elizabeth looked up hopefully, but it was only Hatton, and Dudley was not with him.</p><p><br/>
‘Your highness,’ Hatton began, waiting until the door had shut loudly behind him before he spoke. ‘Robert Dudley is currently in the gardens.’</p><p><br/>
Elizabeth frowned. ‘In the gardens? Why? He is supposed to be here!’ It was clear from her tone of voice that she was not at <em>all</em> pleased with the fact that Dudley was hanging around the gardens of the palace, rather than turning up to a meeting that had been deemed as crucial.</p><p><br/>
‘Yes. I did not stop to talk to him for long, but I do believe that he is grieving a little bit at this precise moment in time.’</p><p><br/>
‘Grieving?’ Elizabeth echoed, now confused instead of irritated. What would her firm favourite possibly be grieving over? The last time she had seen him [which was only yesterday evening] he had seemed absolutely fine. ‘What about?’</p><p><br/>
Hatton shrugged, sighing. ‘I do not know,’ He admitted. ‘He would not tell me, and nor would he tell me if he was specifically grieving or not. But I must confess, it did seem quite evident.’</p><p><br/>
Elizabeth’s expression shifted from one of worry and agitation to one of determination. She put her hands on her hips.<br/>
‘He will tell me,’ She declared decisively. ‘Please, where exactly is he?’</p><p><br/>
‘Allow me to show you.’</p><p><br/>
Elizabeth nodded, and followed Hatton out of the room after requesting that Cecil and Walsingham stay put. She intended to get the meeting up and running as soon as possible once she had spoken to Dudley. But then again, it could well be a long time before that happened, depending on what the issue was precisely.</p><p><br/>
Once the two of them were gone, Cecil let out a deep sigh. Walsingham glanced at him, faintly amused.</p><p><br/>
‘You really do not like Dudley, do you?’</p><p><br/>
Cecil shook his head. ‘I do not mind him,’ He responded vaguely, although his expression suggested otherwise. ‘I just wish he would simply turn up to this meeting. He can grieve if he needs to, but we do have to have our priorities here, and this meeting was supposed to be important.’</p><p><br/>
Walsingham smiled sympathetically. He was well aware that Cecil hated when things were not properly followed through. He himself found it a little annoying, sure, but he was prepared to wait. He had time, and besides, if Dudley was grieving, then surely he should be granted some time to grieve in peace? Perhaps Cecil was being a little hard on the latter, which was not surprising, but Walsingham chose not to comment on it.</p><p><br/>
‘I am sure that the meeting will be under way soon enough,’ Walsingham said instead. ‘Worry not - I am sure that the Queen would not want to waste our time, especially not yours. You are, after all, one of her firm favourites,’ He finished with a smile.</p><p><br/>
Cecil returned the smile. ‘Thank you. You are too, it is certain,’ He responded politely and gratefully.</p><p><br/>
The two of them nodded at each other before their conversation dwindled into silence. Neither of them could really think of anything else to say, although Walsingham could not help but notice how…<em>nice</em> Cecil looked. The sun that was streaming in from the window cast quite a beautiful golden glow on him, making him look rather angelic.<br/>
Walsingham looked at Cecil [unbeknownst to him] for a few moments more before looking away uncomfortably. He did <em>not</em> like Cecil in that way…did he?</p><p><br/>
He sighed softly to himself before settling down, preparing for the wait until the Queen finally returned; with luck, she would have Dudley alongside her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In case you didn't know: 'Eyes' [ôô] was one of Elizabeth's nicknames for Dudley.</p><p>I have no idea why I came up with the idea to ship Cecil and Walsingham together. Whilst I was doing my research the idea just randomly popped into my head. Whether or not the ship develops in this fiction...well, let's wait and see.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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